Coating machine for coating sheets of material



wjRE cl-rr 7 2,278,565 4 April 7, 1942.-

comma MACHINE Fen COA'I iING SHEETS 0F MATERIAL Fil e d June so, 1937 4 sheets-Sheet 1 April 7, 1942.

w. RE T COATING MACHINE fiOR COATING SHEETS OF MATERIAL Filed June so, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7, 1942.

' w. -RE'CHT vCOATING MACHINE FOR COATING SHEETS 0F MATERIAL Filed June so, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Becki ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 7, 1942 William Recht, Woodmere, N. Y., assignor to .General Printing Ink Corporation, New York, N. 2., a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1937, Serial No. 151,090

' 3 Claims.

My invention relates to machines utilizablefor applying a coating of liquid material such, for example, as ink, varnish, paint or th like to sheets of material of a desired character.

My invention has particular reference to coating machines wherein the composition rollers ineffectively or improperly advance the sheets of material through the coating zone by reason of the fact that line, spot or other areas of such composition rollers are below the normal coating surfaces thereof. a

Various other Objects, features and characteristics of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention relates particularly, although not necessarily, to a coating machine of the general type disclosed in Lipton application Serial No. 138,512, filed April 23, 1937, which has become U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,236,239,'granted March 25, 1941.

For an understanding of my invention,-and for an illustration of one of the forms thereof, ref

erence is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in section and partly broken away, showing a coating machine as constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 1a is an elevational view showing the discharge end of the coating machine;

plan, and is taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 2a is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, showing the discharge end of my novel coating-machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, and is taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, and is taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2

looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged elevational views, partly in section, showing two positions of the sheet-gripping mechanism of my invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the sheet-gripping mechanism; and

Fig. 7a is a fragmentary elevational view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 7. I

Referring to the drawings, F, Fl represent spaced frame members of the same general character disclosed in the aforesaid Lipton application Serial No. 138,512, filed April 23, 1937, these frame members being connected together and braced in any suitable manner. Suitably supported by said frame members F, Fl is a horizontal drive shaft l adapted to be rotated by an electrical motor or other suitable source of power, not shown. I

Secured to one end of the shaft l and rotatable therewith is a pinion 2, Figs. 2 and 2a, which meshes with and drives a gear wheel 3 secured to and rotatable with the extreme end 4a of one shaft extension of a supporting roller 4 formed from suitable material as known in the art, the shaft extensions of said roller 4 being mounted in bearings formed in the respective blocks 5 disposed for slidable movement in vertical slots 6 formed, respectively, in the frame members F,

Fl, these blocks 5 being suitable supported for vertical movement in the manner hereinafter described. At the side of the supporting roller 4 opposite the aforesaid shaft end 4a, the shaft extension of said roller 4 terminates in 'an end 41; to which is fixed a gear wheel I meshing with and driving a gear wheel 8 secured to and ro- '30 Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in tatable with one end of a shaft 9' extending transversely through and supported in bearings formed by brackets carried by the frame members F, Fl. The gear wheel 8 meshes with and drives an idler gear wheel l0 mounted on a stub shaft supported in a bearing bracket l2 secured to the frame member F. Disposed in meshing relation with respect to the gear wheel I0 is a gear wheel l3 secured to and rotatable with the extreme end l4a of one shaft extension of a composition roller l4, the shaft extensions of which are mounted, respectively, in bearing blocks [5 slidable in the respective vertical slots l8 formed in the frame members F, Fl.

As well understood in the art, each of the bearing blocks I5 is biased upwardly by a helical spring, not shown. Further, as well understood, each bearing block I 5 may be moved downwardly against the expansive force of the associated helical spring by a rod ll, each of these rods terminating in an upper hand wheel Fla and each rod l'l being threaded through a plate arrangement l8 suitably securedto the associated frame member. a

It is well understood that apparatus of the character herein described necessarily comprises an arrangement for applying a suitable coating medium to the'composition roller l4. Any suitable arrangement may thus be utilized but, preferably and as herein shown, this coating arrangement is of the character specifically described in the above noted Lipton application Serial No. 138,512, filed April 23, 1937.

Thus, as herein generally illustrated, the coating arrangement last noted comprises a fountain roller 20 which dips into a liquid coating medium contained in areceptacle 2|, the fountain roller 20 rotatably engaging a transfer roller 22 which is adapted to engage the aforesaid composition roller. l4. As shown, this coating arrangement further comprises a pair of spaced, supplemental frame members 1, f pivoted, respectively, to the main frame members F, Fl at 23. Associated with these frame members f, J

is a support for the receptacle 2| and, further,

said frame members 1, J directly-support the shaft extensions for the transfer roller 22. As regards the fountain roller 20, each shaft extension thereof is rotatably supported in a block 24 and each of these blocks is slidably supported horizontally therefrom, the respective members 21 extending loosely through passages formed in the upper sections 28 of the frame members f, 1, respectively. The front face of each of these frame member upper sections comprises a cam surface 29 coactable with an adjacent cam surface 30 formed on a sleeve 3i loosely mounted on the adjacent projecting member 21 which extends therethrough. The extreme front end of each member 21 has a sleeve nut 32 threaded thereto, each sleeve nut comprising an operating hand wheel 32a. Each sleeve 3! has an arm 33 projecting therefrom and these arms are connected by a link 34 whereby; actuation of said arms 33 and the link 34 causes the fountain assembly to be moved toward or from the composition roller l4 by reason of the camming effect produced between the cam surfaces 29 and 30, said fountain assembly being biased in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 3, by helical springs 35 associated with the respective fixed members 21.

As shown in Fig. 1, the power for operating the fountain roller 20 and the transfer roller 22 is obtained from the hereinbefore described driven gear wheel 1. Thus, as shown, the gear wheel 1 meshes with and drives a gear wheel la loosely mounted on'a stub shaft formed as anextension of the adjacent pivot 23. The gear wheel 1a meshes with and drives a gear wheel lb loosely mounted on a stub shaft 10 projecting horizontally from the adjacent frame member 1, this gear wheel lb meshing with and driving a gear wheel Id secured to and rotatable with one shaft end of the fountain roller 20. The gear wheel 1d meshes with and drives a gear wheel He secured to and rotatable with one shaft end of the transfer roller 22. The gear wheel-1e is so positioned that it does not mesh with the above described gear wheel i3.

With the form of the invention herein shown, individual sheets of material M are fed toward and between the supporting roller 4 and composition roller l4 by means known to the art as Drop roller feeding mechanism. As herein shown, mechanism of the character last noted comprises a pair of spaced, horizontal side frames 40, 40 supported in fixed position in any suitable manner and each frame 40 carrying a guide channel member 4|, Fig. 4. Suitably secured, as by the screws 42, to the lower surface of each channel member 4| is a rack member 43, these rack members being disposed horizontally with the rack teeth thereof facing upwardly, Figs. 1 and 4. Disposed above the fixed rack members 43 are the respective movable rack members 44 to which the transverse bars 45 are secured'by screws 46, the ends of these bars 45 slidably engaging the respective channel members 4l, Fig. 4. The end of each bar 45 is confined in a guide slot defined by the upper surface of a channel member 4|, the vertical surface of the adjacent side frame 40 and a member 41 which is suitably secured to the side frame 40 disposed therebeneath. These members 41 extend longitudinally of the machine and are disposed in parallel relation with respect to two sets of channel members 48 which are supported at their ends in any suitable manner. The members 41 and the channel members 48 serve as supports for a plurality of top plates 49 along which the sheets M pass in the manner hereinafter described.

Disposed transversely of the machine is a hortive sleeves 5| are secured, these sleeves being rotatably supported by the lower channel-defining surfaces of the members 4!, Fig. 4. Each sleeve 5| carries a pinion wheel 52 and each pinion wheel is disposed in meshing engagement with respect to the adjacent set of fixed and movable rack members 43, 44.

Rotatably disposed on the shaft is a collar 53 having an arm 54 projecting therefrom, this arm being pivoted to an upstanding lever 55 which, at its lower end, is pivoted at 56 to the frame member F, Fig. 3. The lever 55 carries a laterally extending follower 51 coactable with a cam groove 58a formed in the face of a disk 58 secured to and rotatable with a horizontal shaft 59 having bearings in the frame members F and Fl. This shaft 59 has a sprocket wheel to secured thereto, this sprocket wheel 60 being driven by a sprocket chain 5| which, in turn, is driven by a sprocket wheel 62 secured to and rotatable with the aforesaid shaft 9.

' At its end remote from the sprocket wheel 50, the shaft 59 carries a second sprocket wheel 83 which drives a sprocket chain 64, the latter, in turn, driving a sprocket wheel 65 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 66 having a bearing in the adjacent side frame 40. Secured to and rotatable with the stub shaft 66 at the end thereof opposite the sprocket wheel 55 is a cam disk 61 having a cam surface with which is coactable a roller a second lever II which, at the end thereof toward the right, Fig. 2, has a bar I2 pivoted thereto, this bar resting upon the adjacent side frame 4| and being freely slidable in a slot 13 formed transversely in the adjacent top plate 4!. Secured to the end of the lever H toward the left, Fig. 2, is a link I4 which extends transversely across the machine and, at its remote end, carries a member 15 to which is secured a bar 16 corresponding with the aforesaid bar I2, the bar 15 resting upon the adjacent side frame 40 and being freely slidable in a slot ll formed transversely in the adjacent top plate 4!.

The aforesaid shaft 9 has a second sprocket wheel 19 secured thereto for rotatable movement therewith, this sprocket wheel 19 driving a sprocket chain which, in turn, drives a sprocket wheel 81 secured to and rotatable with a stub shaft 82 rotatable in a bearing formed in the adjacent side frame 46. This stub shaft has a gear wheel 83 rotatable therewith, this gear wheel 83 meshing with and driving a gear wheel 84a secured to and rotatable with a lower shaft 84 extending transversely of the machine and rotatable in bearings formed in brackets 85 secured to the side frames 48, respectively, this shaft 84 carrying a plurality of disks 86 spaced therealong.

Disposed vertically above the shaft 84 is a shaft 81 rotatable in bearings formed in the ends of the respective arms 88 secured to and oscillatory with a "shaft 89 mounted in bearings formed in the ends of arms 98 formed integrally with the respective brackets 85. The aforesaid shaft 84 carries a gear wheel, not shown, which is disposed beneath, meshes with and drives a gear wheel 9| secured to and rotatable with the shaft,-8I.. Said shaft 81 also carries a plurality of spaced disks 92 which are disposed above and coactable with the aforesaid rollers 86, respectively. Disposed adjacent the outer sets of disks 86, 92 are the respective pivoted stop members 93 each of which comprises an uptumed end 93a, these stop members-being utilized as hereinafter described.

The hereinbefore described stub shaft 82 has a cam disk 94 rotatable therewith. Coactable transversely alined pusher surfaces 91a and saidpusher'bars being disposed between the spaced top. plates 49 as shown particularly in Fig. 2.

The above described blocks 5 have plates I88, I88 formed integrally therewith or suitably secured thereto, respectively, these plates being disposed immediately adjacent the respective interior surfaces of the frame members F, FI and the respective shaft extensions of the supporting roller 4 extending loosely therethrough. Secured to each of the plates I88 is a transverse pin IM and, to each pin I8I, there is pivoted a downwardly extending link I82, the lower end of each 7 link I82 being pivotally connected, by a pin I83, to a lever arm I84 and the lever arms l84 being secured to and oscillatory with a shaft I85 extending horizontally between and mounted in hearings in the frame members F and Fl. The shaft I85, at one end thereof, has secured thereto a lever arm I86 which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, may comprise an arcuate slot I86a cooperative with a pin I81 carried by and projecting from the adjacent frame member. Preferably, the shaft I85 carries a suitable counter-balancing weight, not shown.

Toward the front of the machine, the aforesaid plates l88, I88 carry a horizontally disposed transverse rod I88, Fig. l, to which, adjacent each end thereof, a supporting bar I89 is piv-- oted, these supporting bars I89 extending toward the rear of the machine and, at their rear ends,

carrying a transverse 'rod II8 to which is pivoted,

the respective links III, each of these links being pivoted, toggle-fashion, at II2 to a link H3 and the links last named having their lower ends fixed to and rotatable with a shaft I I4 extending horizontally between and mounted in the frame members F, FI, said shaft II4, exteriorly of and adjacentthe frame member F, having an actuating lever II5 secured thereto for oscillatory movement therewith. As clearly appears, the arrangement comprising the bars I89 forms a stable support for a pan or receptacle IISa.

Coactable with the aforesaid supporting roller 4 is a scraper blade II 6 formed from suitable porting roller 4 dips into the liquid agent contained in thereceptacle II5a so that any of. the coating agent which is transferred to said supporting roller 4 from the coating-roller I4, particularly at the edges of said supporting roller, is kept in moist condition so that it may readily be removed by the scraper blade II6. Further, this liquid agent in the receptacle I Ilia lubricates the entire peripheral surface of the supporting roller 4 so as to prevent the formation of dry areas with which said scraper blade II6 would otherwise contact with resultant undue wear of the interengaging parts.

The actuating lever 'I I5 may be moved in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 1, so that, by motion transmitted through the links H3 and III, the bars I89 are moved counter-clockwise, Fig. 1, around the rod I88 whereby the receptacle II5a may assume a tilted relation. When thus positiofned, said receptacle II5a may readily be grasped by the hands of the operator, removed, cleaned and then returned to the position shown.

When the supporting roller 4 is to be lowered from the position thereof where it contacts with the composition roller I4, the lever arm I86 is moved clockwise, Figs. 1 and 3, and, in so doing,

the supporting members I88 are moved downwardly under the control of the lever arms I84, the links I82, etc. As hereinbefore stated, these members I88 support the shaft extensions of said supporting roller 4.

When it becomes desirable to remove the scraper blade assembly for cleaning or other purposes, the nut I2I may be manipulated to there by swing the arm I28 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 3. Thereafter, the scraper blade assembly comprising the scraper blade knife H6 and the supporting blades I I! may readily be detached from the holder H8 and subjected to a desired cleansing operation whereupon, in as simple a manner, the scraper blade assembly may be returned to its operative position.

It is tobe understood that the supporting a'rrangement for the receptacle II5a, the lowering and elevating arrangement for the supporting roller 4 and the adjusting arrangement for the scraper blade knife II6 may be of the character specifically described in the aforesaid Lipton application Serial No.' 138,512, filed April 23, 1937.

As hereinbefore stated, the fountain assembly as disclosed is of the same character as illustrated and described in said Lipton application Serial No. 138,512, filed April 23, 1937, and, therefore, it is to be understood that the hand wheel 25a may be rotated in one direction or the other to cause the fountain roller 28 to move is held toward the composition roller I4, the

hand wheels 32a may be rotated in one direction or the other to therebyslightly move the fountain assembly either toward or from said composition roller II whereby the transfer roller 22 is caused to engage said composition roller It with a desired degree of pressure. Subsequently, by actuation of the arms 33 and the link 34, the fountain assembly may be moved as a unit eithek toward or from the composition roller It for the useful purpose described in said Lipton application Serial No. 138,512, filed April 23,1937.

With the mechanism in operative position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the drive shaft I is rotated in a clockwise direction, Figs. 1 and 3, to thereby rotate the gear wheel 3, the supporting roller 4 and the gear wheel I in a counterclockwise direction, Flgs. 1 and 3. By reason of the intermeshing relation between the gear wheels I, 3, l and I3, it results that said gear wheel I3 together with the composition roller I4 are rotated in a clockwise direction, Figs. 1 and 3.

The gear wheel I also meshes with the gear wheel la and the latter, in turn, meshes with and drives the gear wheel lb, the last named gear wheel lb meshing with and driving the gear wheel 1d associated with the fountain roller 20, and said gear wheel ld meshing with and driving the gear wheel le associated with the transfer roller 22. The various gear wheels la, lb, Id and 'le last named rotate, respectively, as indicated by the arrows shown thereon in Fig. 1.

The hereinbefore described gear wheel 8, which is rotated by power transmitted thereto from the gear wheel I, is mounted on the shaft 3 which extends transversely of the machine and it is this shaft 9 which carries the hereinbefore described sprocket wheels 62 and 13.

In response to clockwise rotation of the shaft 9, Figs. 1 and 3, the sprocket wheel 62 is rotated in the samedirection so that the sprocket chain 6| produces clockwise rotation of the cam disk 58, Fig. 3. As a result of such rotation of the cam disk 58, the lever 55 is oscillated to thereby produce to-and-fro movement of the shaft 50 along the stationary rack members 43. These stationary rack members are in meshing relation with respect to the gear wheels 52 and, therefore, it results that the movable rack members 44 are caused to reciprocate toward and from the coating zone, i. e., the area of contact between the supporting roller 4 and coating roller I4. As

hereinbefore described, the pusher bars 91 are associated with the movable rack members 44 and, therefore, it results that the pusher surfaces 7 91a are reciprocated toward and from said coating zone.

The shaft 53 carries the cam disk 58 and it In response to such oscillatory movement of the lever II, the bars 12 and 16 are moved in unison either toward the center of the machine or from the center of the machine for the purpose hereinafter described.

The hereinbefore described shaft 9 also. carries the sprocket wheel 19 which meshes with and drives the sprocket chain 80, the latter operating the sprocket wheel 3| to thereby rotate the stub shaft 82. The gear wheel 83 on said stub shaft 82 operates the gear wheel 84a to thereby rotate the shaft 84 and, by the described intermeshing gear wheels on said shaft 34 and the shaft 81, it results that the shafts 84 and 81 are rotated in unison and in opposite directions, respectively.

The stub shaft 82 also carries the cam disk 94 all elevated at this time.

"and the latter coacts with the roller and lever 96 to periodically oscillate the shaft 89 in its bearings formed at the ends of the respective arms 88. As a result, the shaft 81 is periodically elevated or lowered so that the disks 92 are periodicallymoved toward or from the respective disks I6.

The sheets of material may be disposed in suitable stacked relation so that the operator may grasp a sheet M and move the same toward the upturned ends 93a of the respective stop members 93 as shown in Fig. 2. The forward edge of the sheet M immediately engages such stop meter sections 93a, the shaft 81 and disks 92 being Thereupon, the cam disk 34 permits the parts last noted to be lowered whereupon, as soon as the stop sections 9311 are lowered, the rotation of the shafts 84a and 81 causes the sets of coacting disks 86, 92 to move the sheet M from right to left, Fig. 2.

The timing is such that, as the sheet M passes beyond the sets of disks, the pusher surfaces 910 are in their rearward positions toward the right, Fig. 2. Therefore, when the rear surface of the sheet M passes beyond the sets of disks 85, 82, it drops in front of the pusher surfaces 81a. The latter, under the control of the cam disk 58, immediately move from right to left, Fig. 2, whereby the sheet M is positively fed between the supporting roller 4 and the composition roller I4.

While the action last named is proceeding, the bars I2 and 16, under the control of the cam disk 61, are held in such position that by coaction with one or both of the respective edges of the sheet M, the latter is maintained in a properly alined position transversely of the machine.

In normal operation, the series of actions described above are repeated in a continuous manner so that, in timed relation the sheets M are fed toward and between the supporting roller 4 and the composition roller I4.

In accordance with the invention, an arrangement is provided so that each sheet M may be gripped and moved under control while the same passes from right to left, Fig. 3, between the supporting roller 4 and composition roller It.

To this end, as shown particularly in Fig. 2a, the frame members F, FI have secured thereto by-bolts I30, or equivalent, the respective sup porting members I3I, I3I which extend from right to left, Fig. 2a, in a horizontal direction or substantially so. At their ends removed from the frame members F, Fl, the members I3I, I 3| are connected together and braced by a horizontal tie member I32, Fig. 1a.

Disposed in parallel relation and rotatable in suitable bearings formed in the members I3I, I3I are the shafts I33 and I34, the shaft I33 being disposed adjacent the frame members F, FI and the shaft I34 being at the remote end of said members I3I, I3I. One end of the shaft I33 extends beyond the adjacent member I3I and there carries a gear wheel I35 which meshes with and is driven by the aforesaid gear wheel 2.

vided with a transverse slot I66, these slots I66,

I40 joined'by a web section I. As indicated in Fig. 5, the structures I39 extend from the shaft I 33, by which they are loosely supported, toward and are supported by the tie member I32, Fig. la.

As illustrated in Fig. 2a, there are two of the structures I39 and each, adjacent the shaft I33, has a fixed cam disk I42 secured thereto in any suitable manner. Disposed immediately adjacent each cam disk I42 is a shroud member I43, each of these, as shown in Fig. 5, being secured to a bar I44 extending transversely between and secured to the frame members F,'FI. Disposed between each shroud member I43 and a part I39a of the structure I39 is a sprocket wheel I45. The shaft I33 extends through the hubs I450 of these sprocket wheels and each hub is keyed to said shaft as indicated at I46, Fig. 5.

At their ends adjacent the tie rod I32, each face of each structure I39 comprises a pair of projecting lugs I41 and each lug has a set screw I40 threaded therethrou'gh. These set screws I48 adjustably support the respective axles I49 on each of which is loosely mounted a sprocket wheel I50 corresponding with the aforesaid sprocket wheel I45, each sprocket wheel I50 being disposed between sections I39a, I390 of the associated structure I39. Furthermore, each structure I39, at the end-thereof adjacent the aforesaid tie member I32, carries a fixed cam disk I 5I.

'As clearly appears from a consideration Fig. 2a, each pair of sprocket wheels I45, I 50 are alined longitudinally :of the machine and each of said pairs of sprocket wheels I45, I 50 has associated therewith an endless belt I52 formed from thin sheet steel or equivalent, each belt I52 being provided with sprocket holes I53 adapted to coact with sprocket teeth I54 formed on the respective sprocket wheels I45 and I50.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 7a, there is shown as h associated with each belt I52 a bearing support I55 from the upper fiat face of which project a plurality of lugs I56 disposed in two parallel rows. The ends of each belt I52 are perforated in correspondence with the spacing of the lugs I56 and, therefore, it follows that the belt ends may be brought closely together and then passed downwardly over the respective rows of lugs I56 whereupon a plate I'I may be associated with said lugs and secured in fixed position by screws I58 which extend through said plate I51 and are threaded into the adjacent surface of the bearing support I55.

Supported for free oscillatory movement in each bearing support I55 is a shaft I59 which, at one side of the associated belt I52, has an arm I60 secured thereto, this arm carrying a cam roller I6I. Secured to each shaft I59 is an upwardly extending arm I62 which terminates in a gripping finger I63 adapted to coact with a rear section of the aforesaid plate I51 whereby the sheets M are conveyed from rightto left,

end thereof secured to the associated bearingsupport I55.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the periphery of each of the sprocket wheels I and I is produring operation of the mechanism, receiving the respective bearing supports I as they follow their respective paths of movement.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the upper spans of all the belts I38 and I52 are disposed in horizontal alinement. This, however, is not true with respect to all of the lower spans of said belts because, as shown, the pulleys I 31 are smaller in diameter than the pulleys I36 and, therefore, the lower spans of the belts I38 are inclined upwardly in a direction extending from right to left, Fig. 2a.

As illustrated in Fig. 2a, the gripping units comprising the respective fingers I63 are in alinement transversely of the machine. In order that this transverse alinement may be obtained with nicety, the set screws I48 may be adjusted in an obvious manner to thereby shift the axles I49 as required. Further, saidv set screws I48 may be adjusted in one direction or the other when it becomes necessary to change the tension of the belts I52.

In response to operation of the shaft I33, as hereinbefore described, the gear wheel 2 transmits rotative movement to the gear wheel I35 whereby the shaft I33 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction, Figs. 1, 3 and 5. This shaft I33 carries all of the sprocket wheels I36, I45 and, therefore, all of the belts I38, I52 are roitated. in such direction that the upper belt spans thereof move from right to left, Fig. 1.

The gripping units comprising the gripping fingers I63 are alined transversely of the machine and, normally, said gripping fingers I63'are' biased toward the respective plates I51. Ines-- much as said gripping units are transversely alined;.as stated, the cam rollers I6I, engage the respective cam disks I42 at substantially the same time whereby each gripping finger I63 is moved to a position as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 5. Just after the gripping unit shown in Fig. 5 passes beyond the full-line position thereof, the cam roller I6I comes into engagement with the low surface of the cam disk I42 whereby the associated spring I 65 becomes effective to move the gripping finger I63 toward closed position as shown by the broken lines of Fig. 5.

The gripping fingers I63 remain in closed position as just stated while they move from right to left, Fig. 1, and they thus remain in closed position until the cam rollers I6I engage the respective cam disks I5I whereupon, as shown in Fig. 5, the fingers I63 are moved to open position.

When the cam rollers I6I engage the respective cam disks I42, the ends of the shafts I59 and the associated collars of the arms I60 tend to move pivotally about axes defined by the respective rollers I6I. This movement is prevented by the shroud members I43 which are so disposed I that they prevent the described pivotal movement of the respective ends of the shafts I59.

The hereinbefore described gear arrangement is such that the above noted pusher surfaces 91a convey each sheet M forwardly through the ma- -chine at the same rate of speed as the speed at which the supporting roller 4 and composition roller I4 advance the sheet in a direction from right to left, Fig. 3. Further, the speed of the gripping units comprising the gripping fingers I63, when moving solely in a horizontal path, Fig. 1, is the same as the speed above noted at which the rollers 4 and I4 advance each sheet M.

Accordingly, by properly relating the parts, the aforesaid gripping units may be caused to rise 6 2,27s,ses

upwardly so that the cam rollers it! are controlled by the respective cam disks I 42 just as a sheet M is being advanced from right to left, Fig. 5, under the control of the pusher surfaces 810. Just before said sheet M reaches the position shown in Fig. 5, the plates I51 reach their uppermost positions, and move into engagement with the lower surface of the sheet M. At this time, the gripping units start moving in a horizontal direction toward the discharge end of the machine and the sheet M while supported by the belts I38, I52 move therewith and at the same rate of speed, such movement being. effected by the pusher surfaces 914:. Further, at this time, the cam rollers lil come into engagement with the respective low surfaces of the cams I42 and, therefore, under th influence of the respective springs IE5, the gripper fingers I63 engage the top surface of the sheet M.

Soon thereafter, the pusher surfaces 91a reach their most advanced positions toward the rollers 4 and I4 whereupon said pusher surfaces 91a start returning toward the front end of the machine. Accordingly, under the control of the described gripper units, movement of the sheet M between the rollers 4 and I4 is completed and, thereafter, some further horizontal movement of said sheet M continues. Soon, however, the cam disks i5l open the gripper units and free the sheet M which, in its freshly coated condition, may be removed from the machine in any suitable manner. Meanwhile, the gripper units return to the full-line position shown in Fig. 5 so as to be in a position to grip and convey the succeeding sheet M to the discharge end of the machine.

In this manner, one after another, the individual sheets M are conveyed or transported through the machine. Since there is an overlapping period when each sheet is under the combined control of the pusher surfaces 91a and the gripper units comprising the fingers I63, it results that said sheets are never dependent upon the conjoint effect of the rollers I and M for advancing the sheets through or discharging them from the machine.

An arrangement of the character described is highly advantageous and desirable in connection with a machine as disclosed wherein the composition roller H is shown as having areas Ha thereof which are cut out and hence disposed below the normal coating surface of said composition roller ll. Composition rollers of this character are used for spot or zone coating operations and, as will be understood, such composition rollers, by reason of the presence of the aforesaid depressed areas a, may be incapable of advancing the coated sheets so as to cause them to move far enough to clear the rollers 4 and I4. Therefore, it is highly desirable that the described sheet-gripping and conveying mechanism be provided at the discharge and of the machine and, further, such mechanism should be synchronized with the sheet-advancin mechanism which is disposed at the-input side of the rollers l and I I.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certain particular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilledin the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coating machine comprising supporting and composition rollers between which plane sheets of material pass along a path defined by a horizontal plane extending substantially tangentially with respect to said rollers in the coating zone thereof, means for moving the plane sheets of material toward and between said rollers, means at the discharge end of said coating machine for successively drawing the plane sheets of material between and from said rollers in the same general direction defined by said horizontal plane, said last named means comprising a plurality of endless members extending in the direction of sheet movement, transversely aligned gripper units carried by the respective endless members, means for actuating said gripper units to grip a sheet delivered thereto from said rollers, and means for actuating said gripper units to release said sheet after it has beenmoved beyond said rollers.

2. 'In a coating machine comprising supporting and composition rollers between which plane sheets of material pass along a path defined by a horizontal plane extending substantially tangentially with respect to said rollers in the coating zone thereof, means for moving the plane sheets of material toward and between said rollers, means at the discharge end of said coating machine for successively drawing the plane sheets of material between and from said rollers in the same general direction defined by said horizontal plane, said last named means comprising a plurality of endless members extending in the direction of sheet movement, transversely aligned gripper units carried by the respective endless members, means for actuating said gripper units to grip a sheet delivered thereto from said rollers, means for actuating said gripper units to release said sheet after it has been moved beyond said rollers, and means comprising a plurality of endless belts for supporting each sheet as it is moved under the control of said gripper units.

3. In a coating machine comprising supporting and composition rollers between which plane sheets of material pass along a path defined by a horizontal plane extending substantially tangentially with respect to said rollers in the coating zone thereof, means for moving the plane sheets of material toward and between said rollers, means at the discharge end of said coating machine for successively drawing the plane sheets of material between and from said rollers in the same general direction defined by said horizontal plane, said last named means comprising a plurality of endless members extending in the direction of sheet movement, transversely aligned gripper units carried by the respective endless members, means for actuating said gripper units to grip a sheet delivered thereto from said rollers, and means for actuating said gripper units to re I lease said sheet after it has been moved beyond 

